Swift

Ignoring instinct and expectations captures the hearts and minds of an industry

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Friendly illustrations move rugged truckers

With a workforce of over 35,000, Swift Transportation is an undisputed leader in the trucking industry. It has the resources to support its team of truckers and it feels strongly about its employees. To share this with them, Swift wanted us to develop a personalized, warm employer brand. At the time, this approach was literally unheard of in the trucking business.

Driving 18-wheelers is no simple matter. Only the most sturdy and rugged men and women succeed in a career that requires being on the road day after day, week after week. Naturally, our creative energies initially gravitated toward the truck-driver mentality.

Instead, we commissioned a scratchboard illustration series to convey friendliness and kindheartedness. The design-driven brand immediately stood out in a busy market and it took everyone by surprise. Swift's campaign set the transportation industry on fire.

Rave reviews

Loved by millions, the program was turned into posters, billboards and more. Media wrote about it. Drivers talked about it. Award shows honored it.

Results

Record applications. Record awards won. Record mentions in media and online, all from a single campaign. We clearly tapped into something powerful and even years later, the work still draws fans around the industry.